This sounds an interesting group and can I ask if it is possible to make an electronic kit to connect 3 or 4 or more standard flashguns together, to act as a strobe? With perhaps a variable timer between each flash, that allows each gun to reach its recycling time for full power between being fired. Such a bit of kit would be very useful and for all I know it may already exist. My students would find this useful.

03-21-2013, 05:45 PM

stormpetrel

yes sure!

03-21-2013, 05:53 PM

cliveh

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormpetrel

yes sure!

This would be great, as you can buy flash guns dirt cheap from charity shops.

03-21-2013, 06:00 PM

ArtO

Looks interesting. While I have nothing to add at this time, I signed up.

03-21-2013, 06:34 PM

micwag2

I just joined and left a post at the group. I am a soldering/test technician for a living so I'd like to participate and see where this goes.

03-21-2013, 06:46 PM

AgX

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliveh

This sounds an interesting group and can I ask if it is possible to make an electronic kit to connect 3 or 4 or more standard flashguns together, to act as a strobe? With perhaps a variable timer between each flash, that allows each gun to reach its recycling time for full power between being fired. Such a bit of kit would be very useful and for all I know it may already exist. My students would find this useful.

There once was marketed a hot-shoe delay device that after a first flash triggered staggered flashing with a choice between 1, 3 or 5 flashes in total. However it does not trigger several flash lights apart.

03-21-2013, 07:29 PM

stormpetrel

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliveh

This sounds an interesting group and can I ask if it is possible to make an electronic kit to connect 3 or 4 or more standard flashguns together, to act as a strobe? With perhaps a variable timer between each flash, that allows each gun to reach its recycling time for full power between being fired. Such a bit of kit would be very useful and for all I know it may already exist. My students would find this useful.

There are many ways to do that. The cheapest way would involve a PC-laptop, a $10 USB/parallel port (most of the parallel port can be used as TTL I/O port), a home brewed software and some extra components depending on the flashguns you want to use.

If you don't want to use a PC-laptop, the next option would involve the use of a multipurpose commercial micro-controller board (e.g. adruino).
Third option, make a dedicated board (micro-controller based).
You might also do it in an analog way with monostable (NE555 circuits) but I don't recommend this solution

If you have no experience with software programming and electronic it won't be an easy project , however if you are happy with the first solution I might help you with writing a piece of code to control your flashguns through the parallel port.

Dom

03-21-2013, 10:58 PM

tkamiya

It only requires an optical trigger for each flash to fire multiple guns simultaneously. I bought some Metz potato masher type flash for this purpose. I know there is a specially made PC connector with one male port and 4 female port. I'm not sure how that'll work as all flash trigger will be connected in parallel with no isolation between them.

I can think of an easy way to do TWO flash alternating with latching relays but more than one, I am not sure.... We probably don't want to over-complicate it for it will have to work reliably every time - and in less than optimal conditions. I can't think of how timer'ed approach is useful.... is that going to be like an intergovernmental type installation??

03-22-2013, 05:20 AM

cliveh

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormpetrel

There are many ways to do that. The cheapest way would involve a PC-laptop, a $10 USB/parallel port (most of the parallel port can be used as TTL I/O port), a home brewed software and some extra components depending on the flashguns you want to use.

If you don't want to use a PC-laptop, the next option would involve the use of a multipurpose commercial micro-controller board (e.g. adruino).
Third option, make a dedicated board (micro-controller based).
You might also do it in an analog way with monostable (NE555 circuits) but I don't recommend this solution

If you have no experience with software programming and electronic it won't be an easy project , however if you are happy with the first solution I might help you with writing a piece of code to control your flashguns through the parallel port.

Dom

I don't understand electronics or what you describe, but are you saying with a lap top this could be done for about $10 with multiple flash guns?